NASA celebrities visit Challenger Center

Two chaperones with real star power accompanied a group of 5th graders from
Murfreesboro, TN to the UTC Challenger
Center. Former NASA astronauts
Robert “Hoot” Gibson and wife Dr. Rhea Seddon joined their daughter
Emilee and her class from Erma Siegel Elementary School to participate in a
day of out-of-this-world fun and learning.

The Challenger Center, located on the UTC campus, is home to a memorial for
the members of the Challenger Space Shuttle mission 51-L that exploded in 1986. Approximately
10,000 students visit each year. The center conducts simulated space
missions that reinforce and introduce students to real-world applications of
science principles and concepts discussed in their classrooms.

“Finding kids who are interested in math and science is not easy. The
Challenger Center introduces them to space aviation, which is a great way to
motivate kids and get them interested in space and science. They can
learn that science really isn’t boring,” Gibson commented.

Gibson was involved in the NASA program for 18 years, and has flown on five
shuttle missions. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical
engineering from California Polytechnic State University. Gibson entered
active duty in the US Navy in 1969. He graduated “Topgun” from
the Naval Fighter Weapons School. His naval flight experience includes
over 6,000 hours in over 50 types of civil and military aircraft.

Gibson was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1978 and became a NASA astronaut
in August 1979. He has flown in five missions, including orbital flight
of Challenger, Orbiter Columbia, Orbiter Atlantis,
Orbiter Endeavour, and the Atlantis Space Shuttle. Gibson
piloted his first space flight, and was spacecraft commander for his remaining
four missions completing a total of 36 ½ days in space. He has
participated in the investigation of the Space Shuttle Challenger accident,
and also the redesign and recertification of the solid rocket boosters.

Seddon was involved in the NASA program for 19 years and flew on three shuttle
missions. She received a bachelor of the arts degree in physiology from
the University of California, Berkeley and a doctorate of medicine from the
University of Tennessee College of Medicine. She was selected as an astronaut
candidate in 1978, and became a NASA astronaut in August 1979.

Seddon is a three-flight veteran, and has incurred over 722 hours in space. She
has flown aboard Discovery and Columbia missions. Her
work at NASA includes a variety of areas, including Assistant to the Director
of Flight Crew Operations for Shuttle/Mir Payloads and Technical Director of
Flight Crew Operations, and crew communicator (CAPCOM) in the Mission Control
Center. Dr. Seddon retired from NASA in November 1997. She is now
the Assistant Chief Medical Officer at Vanderbilt Medical Group in Nashville,
Tennessee.

“My most exciting mission was my fifth and last mission, which was 10
minutes long. We docked with the Russian Space Station, and it was the
first time in history that another shuttle had done a docking of that kind,” Gibson
said.

Both Seddon and Gibson were excited about the prospect of taking their daughter
to the Challenger Center for a real hands-on experience.

Seddon said, “[Emilee] hears us talk about our missions, and she sees
the videos of us, but it is wonderful for her to actually be a part of the
mission.”

“This center is important because it interests our children in space
and science. And these kids are going to be the next generation going
on space missions.”